John 17:3And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. English Standard Version (ESV)
Last weekend as my wife Jean and I were heading off for our anniversary weekend we were listening to an oldies station on the radio and heard the song "Love Will Keep Us Together" by Captain and Tenile ( yes, I admit it, I actually sang along). One of the lines goes like this, "I will be there to share forever, love will keep us together" through the different circumstances and trials in life. In a marriage we are on a journey together, continually getting to know each other better, and love each other more deeply.
People have all kinds of ideas of what heaven will be like. For many it will be some sort of eternal country club or amusement park with all of the excitement that you could ever want. I don't know about you, but while I may enjoy some of those things for a time or a weekend, what I really want is to be at home together, to be "as one" together as God planned it to be. In getting to know Him deeper, He keeps us together.
Max Lucado writes of this chapter, "God with us. Don't we love the word "with"? "Will you go with me?" we ask. To the store, to the hospital, through my life?" God says He will. "I am with you always" Jesus said before He ascended into heaven (Matthew 28:20). Search for restrictions on the promise, you'll find none." He will be there to share forever, He will keep us together and we will get to know Him better day by day through eternity.
We should desire to get to know our spouses better day by day, year after year and we should all live to get to know Jesus better, to honor and glorify Him in doing so.
John 17:3The Message (MSG)
Jesus' Prayer for His Followers
17 1-5 Jesus said these things. Then, raising his eyes in prayer, he said:
Father, it's time.
Display the bright splendor of your Son
So the Son in turn may show your bright splendor.
You put him in charge of everything human
So he might give real and eternal life to all in his charge.
And this is the real and eternal life:
That they know you,
The one and only true God,
And Jesus Christ, whom you sent.
I glorified you on earth
By completing down to the last detail
What you assigned me to do.
And now, Father, glorify me with your very own splendor,
The very splendor I had in your presence
Before there was a world.
Display the bright splendor of your Son
So the Son in turn may show your bright splendor.
You put him in charge of everything human
So he might give real and eternal life to all in his charge.
And this is the real and eternal life:
That they know you,
The one and only true God,
And Jesus Christ, whom you sent.
I glorified you on earth
By completing down to the last detail
What you assigned me to do.
And now, Father, glorify me with your very own splendor,
The very splendor I had in your presence
Before there was a world.
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